Cartridge holding hair grooming device



1969 D. G. CAMPBELL CARTRIDGE HOLDING HAIR GROOMING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan.

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United States Patent O M 3,476,124 CARTRIDGE HOLDING HAIR GROOMING DEVICE Douglas Gordon Campbell, 4807 Sawtelle Blvd., Culver City, Calif. 90230 Filed Jan. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 696,342 Int. Cl. A45d 24/00 US. Cl. 132-147 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hair grooming device, such as a comb, the back of which may be hingedly opened to define a chamber adapted to receive rupturable cartridges containing a hair grooming substance, in combination with such cartridges.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to hair grooming devices in general and in particular may be utilized in providing new and useful combs and brushes in the handles or backing spines of which may be included a chamber filled with one or more cartridges containing a hair grooming substance such as hair oil, hair cream, shampoo, etc.

During the last few decades those concerned with the manufacture and sale of hair grooming preparations such as hair oils, hair cream, shampoos and the like have experienced an ever increasing sales volume of such substances. Such increased sales volume would appear to be attributable to a number of difierent factors, such as advertising, particularly through television, population increase, availability of greater amounts of money per capita for personal expenditures and various hair styling fads. Within the last few years, in particular, there has occurred an almost phenomenal adoption by the teenage and college youths in this country, as well as in England and other countries, of what today appears to be unusually long hair stylings.

Where hair is worn long, unless one wishes to affect the appearance of the unkempt Hippie, he or she will obviously have more frequent recourse during each day to re-combing or re-grooming than those having the once more popular crew-cuts. However, mere re-combing or re-brushing may not suffice to place the hair back into a well-groomed appearance. This is particularly true in the dryer climates, such as the Southwestern part of the United States, where the humidity is low and re-combing or re-brushing without the addition of at least water or some hair grooming preparation, may actually make the hair appear more unkempt than before the combing or brushing was initiated because of electrostatic effect. Since many of these wearing long hair may start their day with the use of a hair grooming preparation, any attempt to re-groom the hair with water which may not be readily miscible with the preparation, may prove to be most unsatisfactory. As a consequence, those persons wearing long hair styles not only must carry a comb or brush, but desirably, they must also carry some quantity of their preferred hair grooming preparation. In the case of women who carry purses, carrying a small quantity of such preparation in their purses is not too much of a burden; but for the long-haired male, who may only have wallet and comb pockets, carrying a bottle, tube or other container of a hair grooming preparation during his daily activities, such as in the course of a school or work day, does present something of a logistics problem. Not only it is a nuisance to have to carry it and avoid losing it, but there is always the danger that the container may, through rupture or other inadvertant opening, emit the preparation 3,476,124. Patented Nov. 4, 1969 at a time and in an area where its' presence is not desired. There is thus a great need by those wearing long hair styles, and particularly the active males,. for some type of well protected and unobtrusive container of hair grooming preparations, which container can be easily carried on the users person. Such container should also be inexpensive since the large number of potential users of such a container would appear to fall into the class of young people who are not yet wage earners and have limited funds which they may expend upon such luxury items.

From the standpoint of the producer of such hair grooming preparations, he is undoubtedly continuously searching for new ways and vehicles by which he may increase the use of his product with the object of increasing his profits.

The present invention serves to provide means whereby small predetermined quantities of hair grooming preparations may actually be carried by the person who would like to re-comb his hair at a location remote from his home, office or other location where he can have at hand his favorite preparation. Such means comprises one or more throw-away cartridges, preferably formed of inexpensive plastic material, each of which cartridges is filled with a suflicient quantity of a hair-grooming preparation and frangibly sealed, with the cartridges being carried in a closeable chamber in the spine or handle of a comb or brush.

Since the average young person ordinarily carries a comb anyway, it is no added burden for him to carry such a cartridge-filled comb of the present invention. The comb not only serves to carry the hair preparation, but it also protects it against inadvertent rupture. By employing cartridges, the comb may be periodically refilled and reused for the normal life of any comb. Both the comb and its cartridges may be made and sold quite inexpensively.

From thestandpoint of the manufacturer of the hair grooming preparation, he may not only sell more of the latter to his end-customers, but he may also use the cartridges to advertise his product to an even greater extent than he is able to do through his present product distribution and paid advertising.

Thus the present invention not only meets the needs of the end users, but it also serves the purposes of the hair preparation manufacturer. The preferred embodiment is particularly directed to inexpensive manufacture of both the comb and the cartridges, and in addition, includes certain practical features such as providing easy access to the chamber holding the cartridges, preventing the cartridges from inadvertently spilling out, and enabling the user to determine at a glance when his cartridge supply needs replenishment.

Description of the prior art Combs with spines hollowed to provide chambers in which articles or liquids may be stored are not novel. In 1913, for example, US. Patent No. 1,059,537 issued to L. A. Hanson discloses a comb, the back of which is hollowed to receive and hold a toothbrush. The 1916 Patent No. 1,189,852 to A. J. Melin, shows a comb, part of the back of which is hinged so that it may be pivoted away to uncover a toothbrush. The latter also pivots to a disposition parallel to the comb tines, and a small box of tooth powder or toothpaste is disposed in the cavity formed by the hinged back part. The comb of the 1940 patent to W. Harmon, No. 2,191,254, in addition to having a nail file attached to the comb back, includes a chamber in the latter in which a cosmetic vial, containing some substance such as nail polish, may be disposed.

The patents to B. S. Renfrew, No. 2,496,311, to I. Lattuca, No. 2,585,561 and to C. Castelli, No. 2,619,973 each reveal different constructions for providing chambers or cavities in the handles of combs in which chambers or cavities, bobbie pins, or other articles may be kept.

The 1955 Patent No. 2,705,963, issued to S. Schneider, discloses a comb with a hollowed portion which can serve as a reservoir for a hair lotion; and the 1963 patent to T. E. Keegan, et al., No. 3,102,544, shows a comb with a hollow chamber in the back which receives a cap-able aerosol spray cartridge.

None of the foregoing patents, however, discloses the structure of the present invention as hereinafter described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Summary of the invention It is a feature of the present invention to provide a chamber in the handle of a comb or other hair grooming device in which may be disposed for removal and use a number of small rupturable throw-away cartridges, each preferably made of plastic or other inexpensive material and containing a hair grooming preparation.

It is a further feature of the preferred embodiments of the invention to provide in the walls defining the cartridge holding chamber a slotted opening whereby the cartridges in the chamber may be viewed and access may be had to them to assist in moving them axially in the chamber to the exit port. Such a feature is particularly important in case a cartridge should leak and become stuck in the chamber.

It is also a feature of the invention in the preferred embodiments that the walls partially defining the chamber extend sufficiently around the cartridges or portions thereof to prevent their falling out or removal in a direction radial of the axis of the chamber.

Preferably also the chamber is completely closed by means of a closure member which is hinged to the comb back either at one end, to pivot in an arc with respect to the chamber axis, or along the edge of one wall portion defining the chamber, so that the closure member pivots about an axis parallel to the chamber axis. Alternatively the closure member may be simply snapped onto the comb back to effect the desired closing of the cartridge chamber. In some embodiments, the removable closure member may only comprise an end wall closure to prevent the cartridges from passing axially out of the chamber.

In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the cartridges are removable axially from the chamber through an exit port which is closed by the closure member. To prevent the inadvertent spilling out of the cartridges through such port, it is a further feature of the present invention to provide a small resilient restraining projection. Such projection, while inhibiting inadvertent sliding by the cartridges, however, should not be of such size or configuration as to prevent a cartridge being pushed out with a small amount of force applied axially by the user of the comb through the slotted opening.

The present invention lends itself to many different types of cartridge configurations. The principal requirements for the cartridges are that they be well sealed and so, substantially leak-proof, of inexpensive material, relatively easy to mold and to fill and seal by machinery, and easily removable from the chamber rupturable by the user. Many configurations of cartridges may be conceived of within these parameters. It is a further feature of the present invention to cause to be printed or otherwise applied to the cartridges the name and even advertising of the manufacturer of the hair preparation with the thought that when the user becomes accustomed to using the cartridge hair preparations he will be more inclined to purchase the large bottles or tubes of the same for home use.

The foregoing features are not found disclosed in the prior art hereinabove described.

Brief description of the drawings In the accompanying drawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a comb constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the cartridges shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates the manner in which the cartridge of FIG. 3 is emptied.

FIG. 5 is a section similar to that of FIG. 2 illustrating another configuration to which the cartridge and enclosing chamber may be constructed.

FIG. 6 is also a section similar to that of FIG. 2 illustrating a still further configuration to which the cartridge and enclosing chamber may be constructed.

FIG. 7 is also a section similar to that of FIG. 2 showing an embodiment in which the closure member is hinged along the edge of the side wall.

FIG. 8 is also a section similar to that of FIG. 2 showing an embodiment in which the slotted opening is not closed but is left open; and

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the embodiment sectionally illustrated in FIG. 8.

Description of the preferred embodiments of the invention Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that a comb 10, comprised of a tine section 12 and an elongated backing member 14, is formed with a hollow longitudinally extending chamber 16 which extends from the butt 18 almost to the opposite end of the backing member 14. The chamber 16 is partially defined by vertically extending walls 20, 22, the configuration of which is such as to define an overhung channel 24 which receives, for axially slidable movement, the cylindrical cartridge closure member 26, but prevents removal of such member 26 and the cartridge body 28 to which it is secured in a direction radial to the axis of the chamber 16. The channel 24 extends to the face 30 which is exposed when the closure member 32 which is hinged at 34 is pivoted upwardly in the direction of the arrow 36. When so exposed, the end 38 of the channel 24 serves as a port into which cartridge closure members 26 may be inserted upon loading and from which they may be removed when such removal is desired. To facilitate loading, the end 38 of the channel is slightly enlarged in diameter and tapered :back to the regular diameter at 40. However, to prevent an inadvertent discharge of all of the cartridges through the port 38, a small resilient stopper member 42 may be molded into the channel 24.

It is preferred that the entire comb 10 with its hinged closure member 32 be integrally molded of a plastic such as polyethylene.

The closure member 32 is formed with a configuration to fit the contour of the backing member 14, as well as to complete the definition of the chamber to house the upper portions 44 of the bodies 28 of the cartridges. The end of the closure member 32, distal from the hinge 34, is also contoured to come down, upon closing, and seal off the face 30. A catch 46 is provided to effect a friction lock.

In use, a series of the cartridge bodies 28 are filled with predetermined quantities of the desired hair preparation 48 and sealed by means of the cylindrical closure members 26. The comb backing closure member 32 is then pivoted back to open position and the thus sealed cartridge bodies 28 are then loaded into the chamber by inserting the cylindrical closure members into the port 38 in'the face 30 and sliding them back along the channel 24 toward the opposite end of the comb. When the chamber 16 is fully loaded with the cartridges, the closure member 32 is then pivoted back down and the end is snapped back against the catch 46. The comb 10 is now ready for use.

Whenever the owner of the comb desires to re-groom his hair, he simply unsnaps the end of the closure member 32 from the catch 46 and pivots the closure member 32 upwardly in the direction of the arrow 36. He then pushes a cartridge body 28 axially toward the port 38, forcing it over the stopper 42, and removes it into his hand. The closure member 32 is then reclosed on the comb back. With a twist of the cylindrical closure member 26, the latter may be removed and simultaneously rupture the seal on the cartridge body 28. The contents of the cartridge body 28 may then be squeezed out onto the users hair, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

While the cartridge configuration thus described and illustrated comprises the preferred embodiment of me present invention, the presentinvention may readily be practiced by the use of many other types of cartridge configurations. Certain of such other possible cartridges as Well as the mating comb chamber configurations and structures are illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 9 inclusive.

For example, in FIG. 5, the cartridge 50 may be formed in the manner of the familiar trapezoidally crosssectioned container used in restaurants for dispensing individual portions of jams and jellies. Such cartridges 50 would then be housed in a chamber 51 defined by converging walls 52 and 54 which are opened at the top and are closed by an appropriately contoured closure member 56, otherwise similar to closure member 32. Each cartridge 50 is sealed by a plastic or other sheet-like element 58. With this configuration of the cartridge 50 and the convergence of the walls 52, 54, it is unnecessary to form the backing member 14 with any separate channel 24, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 4.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the cartridge 60 is in the form of a cylinder which may be formed in any desired manner with some suitable provision for rupture. The retaining chamber 61 is formed with arcuate walls 62, 64 and closed by the closure member 66, also otherwise similar to member 32 of the FIG. 1 and 2 embodiment.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the cartridge 68 is also cylindrical, but the chamber 69 is defined by the overhung arcuate wall 70 and by the closure member 72 which is hinged at 74 along the edge 76 of the wall of the back of the comb.

The embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9 differs from the other embodiments in that no longitudinal closure member similar to 32 is provided. The chamber 78 in this embodiment is not completely closed, but is defined by the overhung arcuate wall 80 to leave a slot 82 so that the cartridges 84 remain visible at all times. Inadvertent loss of the cylindrical cartridges 84 is prevented by an end cap or closure 86 which may be formed to snap into recesses in the comb back in some appropriate manner.

While a number of embodiments of the present invention have been thus illustrated and described, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that many other variations may be made in the form of the cartridges, their chamber and the comb closure member, which variations employ the principles of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A hair grooming device having (A) means adapted to pass over and through a persons hair for grooming the same, and

(B) an elongated backing member, said backing member (i) serving to support said means, and (ii) including a chamber extending longitudinally substantially the length of said member, said chamber (a) having at least one cartridge containing a hair grooming substance, (b) being partially defined by walls integral with and forming part of the backing member, said walls extending only partially around the cartridge, thereby to expose an area of the cartridge to view and access, but sufficiently around the cartridge configuration to prevent its removal in a radial direction from the axis of the chamber,

(c) being further defined by a first end wall integral with the said backing member, and

(d) being closed by a removable closure member, said closure member including an elongated portion conforming with the contour of the backing member and covering the exposed area of the cartridge, and further including a second end wall, both of the last said portions, when the closure member is closed, completing the definition of the said chamber and enclosing the cartridge to prevent its removal from the chamber in an axial direction, but when the closure member is opened, permitting the cartridge to be removed from the chamber by sliding it axially in a direction away from the first end wall.

2. A hair grooming device having (A) means adapted to pass over and through a persons hair for grooming the same, and

(B) an elongated backing member, said backing member (i) serving to support said means, and (ii) including a chamber extending longitudinally at least part of the length of said member, said chamber (a) having at least one cartridge containing a hair grooming substance,

(b) being partially defined by walls integral with and forming part of the backing member, said walls extending only partially around the cartridge, thereby to expose an area of the cartridge to view and access, but sufiiciently around the cartridge configuration to prevent its removal in a radial direction from the axis of the chamber,

(0) being further defined by a first end wall integral with the said backing member, and

(d) being closed by a removable closure member, said closure member including an elongated portion conforming with the contour of the backing member and covering the exposed area of the cartridge, and further including a second end wall portion spaced from the first end wall, both of the last said portions, when the closure member is closed, completing the definition of the said chamber and enclosing the cartridge to prevent its removal from the chamber in an axial direction, but when the closure member is opened, permitting the cartridge to be removed from the chamber by sliding it axially in a direction away from the first end wall.

3. The hair grooming device as described in claim 2, wherein the removable closure member is hinged at one end in the vicinity of the first end wall to pivot in an are described with reference to the axis of the chamber.

4. The hair grooming device as described in claim 2, wherein the removable closure member is hinged along the edge of said walls extending partially around the cartridge to pivot about an axis parallel with the axis of the chamber.

5. The hair grooming device as described in claim 2, wherein the chamber is substantially cylindrical and the cartridge configuration is such as to fit closely but slidably within the said walls extending partially around the cartridge.

6. The hair grooming device as described in claim 2, wherein the chamber is of a polygonal cross section and the cartridge is of a similar configuration and of dimensions to fit closely but slidably within the said walls extending partially around the cartridge.

7. The hair grooming device as described in claim 3, wherein the cartridge includes an elongated section extending parallel and joined to the main body of the cartridge, said elongated section being formed by walls which, in section, converge near their points of joinder with said main body, and the walls extending partially around the cartridge similarly converge around said section forming walls, thereby to prevent removal of the cartridge in a radial direction from the axis of the chamber.

8. The hair grooming device as defined in claim 1, wherein each cartridge has printed upon its exposed area matter disclosing its source of manufacture and content.

9. A hair grooming device having (A) means adapted to pass over and through a persons hair for grooming the same, and

(B) an elongated backing member, said backing member (i) serving to support said means and (ii) including a chamber extending longitudinally at least part of the length of said member, said chamber (a) having at least one cartridge containing a hair grooming substance, (b) being partially defined by walls integral with and forming part of the backing member, said walls extending only partially around the cartridge, thereby to expose an area of the cartridge to view and access, but sufficiently around the cartridge configuration to prevent its removal in a radial direction from the axis of the chamber,

(c) being further defined by a first end wall integral with the said backing member, and

(d) being closed by a removable closure member, said closure member including a second end wall portion spaced from the first end wall, whereby, when the closure memberis closed, removal of the cartridge is prevented from the chamber in an axial direction, but when the closure member is opened, the cartridge may be removed from the chamber by sliding it axially in a direction away from the first end wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,585,561 2/1952 Lattuca 132-147 2,619,973 12/1952 Castelli 132-147 3,166,081 1/1965 Larson et a1. 132-148 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner J. W. MITCHELL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 132-148 

